Motorcyclist killed in Zephyrhills

ZEPHYRHILLS - A Zephyrhills man died Thursday evening when he was thrown from his motorcycle after a collision with a pickup truck, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

Michael L. Herron, 39, of was traveling eastbound on a 1999 Honda motorcycle on State Road 54 near Evans Road a little before 6 p.m., the report said.

A 1998 Dodge pickup truck driven by Michael J. Deveau, 50, of Zephyrhills, was parked in a driveway, waiting to turn left onto State Road 54. Deveau didn't see Herron's motorcycle approaching and turned onto the road, the FHP said.

The left front and side of the motorcycle hit the truck, went airborne and then landed on an SUV parked at a shopping center.

Herron died at the scene. Deveau suffered minor injuries. The driver and passenger of the third vehicle -- Dennis E. Willey, 64, and Margaret A. Willey, 53, both of Zephyrhills -- were not injured.

The Highway Patrol said charges are pending.

-- Times Staff Writer

Ybor sushi restaurant fire drips water into Improv

TAMPA -- An Ybor City sushi restaurant employee received first degree burns on his arms and face while cleaning behind a stove Thursday.

Salvador Diaz, 30, was working at Samuri Blue, 1600 E 8th Ave., when he accidentally broke a natural gas line supplying the stove by pulling the stove too far from the wall, causing a flash fire.

Tampa Fire Rescue responded to the fire alarm at 9:21 p.m. The sprinkler system was activated by the fire and continued to stream after firefighters arrived, pouring downstairs and causing damage to the Improv Comedy Theater.

Diaz was taken to Tampa General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Tampa Fire Capt. Bill Wade said. Damage from the fire was minimal, he said.

But water damage is expected to be several thousand dollars. No word on when either the restaurant or the Improv will reopen.

-- Rebecca Catalanello

Motorcyclist dies in Pasco crash

ZEPHYRHILLS -- A motorcyclist died after a pickup turned in front of him shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday night.

Michael Herron, 39 of Zephyrhills, was traveling east on S.R. 54 near Evans Road when the driver of a pickup failed to see him and turned onto S.R. 54 in front of him. The truck had been facing south in the entrance of "A Car Lot Inc" and made a left, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Herron tried to stop but couldn't and collided with the truck. He was ejected from the motorcycle, which collided with a third vehicle. Herron, who was not wearing a helmet, died at the scene, troopers said.

The driver of the pickup, Michael J. Deveau, 50, suffered minor injuries. The people in the third vehicle were unhurt.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Fire burns house in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG -- Three people lost their home when a fire damaged a house at 1500 7th St. S. tonight.

About 7:45 p.m., firefighters extinguished a blaze on a single-story wood frame house. Smoke and water damaged the entire building. There was no working smoke alarm in the house.

Paramedics treated one occupant at the scene but no one was taken to the hospital. St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue estimated the damage at about $50,000. The American Red Cross helped three adults find temporary housing.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

St. Pete: Burned house had no smoke alarm

ST. PETERSBURG -- Firefighters are still trying to determine what started a fire that caused about $50,000 in damage to a house at 1500 Seventh St. S this evening.

Firefighters were called to the home at 7:46 p.m. and arrived within four minutes to find smoke and heavy fire coming from the single story, wood-framed house, fire officials said. Crews were able to put the fire out within 15 minutes, but there was a lot of damage to the interior and garage from the fire, heavy smoke and water.

One of the home's three adult occupants was treated at the scene by paramedics, but was not transported to the hospital. Officials put an approximate value of the house at about $99,500.

The American Red Cross was called in to help the occupants with lodging. Fire officials noted that there was not a working smoking alarm in the house.

--Times staff

Linda Bollea has run out of money

CLEARWATER -- Linda Bollea, wife of wrestler Hulk Hogan, is out of money -- despite receiving $40,000 a month in temporary alimony payments.

In a hearing today on other matters, one of Linda Bollea's attorneys asked Judge George W. Greer to set a hearing next month to talk about unfreezing some of the divorcing couple's assets for Linda's use.

An attorney for Hulk Hogan said she wanted to see some proof from Linda's attorneys that the wrestling star's wife was tapped out.

"They have to tell me why she's out of money. They have to show me in bank statements," said Ann Loughridge Kerr, whose client is Hulk Hogan, legal name Terry Bollea.

In August, both sides in the divorce agreed Linda Bollea would get temporary alimony payments of $40,000 per month. Terry Bollea also agreed to pay some monthly costs like repair and maintenance of their home on Willadel Drive, where Linda now lives.

But Linda Bollea's side said the husband is refusing to pay for cable, pest control, window washing and their security system.

Greer told Terry Bollea's attorneys to pay the cable, pest control and window washing bills -- but not the security system payments. That is not Terry Bollea's responsibility, he said.

--Jonathan Abel, Times Staff Writer

Armed man robs St. Petersburg bank

ST. PETERSBURG -- A man produced a handgun and took off with cash in a robbery of the Florida Bank at 3065 34th Street North about 2 p.m. today.

Police described the robber as a Hispanic man, about 20 to 30 years old, who wore a khaki work shirt over a dark green long sleeve shirt, a khaki hat, sunglasses and stonewashed black jeans. Investigators say he took off on foot.

The man matched the description of a man suspected in several other Pinellas County bank robberies.

Anyone with information is asked to call the non-emergency number at 727-893-7780 or the Robbery unit at 727-893-7179.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Tampa woman called 911 from car trunk before she died, police say

TAMPA -- Sometime before she died, Jennifer Johnson called a 911 operator to say she was in the trunk of a vehicle, Tampa police say.

Johnson, 31, was found dead Tuesday in an abandoned Lakeland house. The last time Johnson was seen alive, she was arguing with ex-boyfriend Vincent Brown at the Apollo Club late Friday. After that, police said, she went to Brown's parents' house at 3 a.m.

Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said Johnson's call to Plant City police 911 came in after 3 a.m. Saturday. Investigators would not release details about the call, saying it was critical to establishing a timeline for when Johnson was abducted and when and how she died.

"It is a very disturbing call, a very chilling call," McElroy said.

Brown, who has been named a person of interest in the case, is being held at the Orient Road Jail on unrelated charges. He remains uncooperative in the investigation, McElroy said.

Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer

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Rapist gets 25 years for 1997 attack

TAMPA -- A convicted sex offender has pleaded guilty to a 1997 sexual battery that took nearly a decade to solve.

Kenneth Dehart, 37, was sentenced this week to 25 years in prison.

His victim was in court to see Dehart for the first time in person since he attacked her on Sept. 4, 1997, prosecutor Rita Peters said, but she did not say anything before his sentencing.

The victim was 46 when he raped her after talking his way into her Tampa business. He told her that he'd committed sexual battery 200 times before.

Tampa police collected DNA evidence from the victim immediately after the attack. Nine years passed before a national DNA database linked the evidence to Dehart.

Colleen Jenkins, Times Staff Writer

[Photo: Times files]

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Tampa teen died in frat initiation at N.C. school, police say

A Lenior-Rhyne University student from Tampa who died after an accidental head injury Monday night was participating in a fraternity initiation event at the time of his death, according to the Catawba County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina.

Harrison Kowiak (pictured), 19, a graduate of Wharton High School and sophomore at the private liberal arts college in Hickory, N.C., died during a game similar to "capture the flag" -- a Theta Chi fraternity initiation activity, according to sheriff's Capt. Roy Brown. There were 17 people participating in the activity. Brown said he would not call the event "hazing."

Representatives from Theta Chi's national office were not immediately available to comment.